Wonderland Storms
by Hobbit Babe
Summary: Storms in wonderland can be quite... well quite insane.


Alice quite liked storms, the 'tip tap' of the rain on the roof always relaxed her and helped her sleep. So of course she wasn't alarmed when it suddenly grew dark just as she was taking lunch with her friends. She still wasn't alarmed when it began to pour just as she and Tarrant returned home. However, she was alarmed when her ears were assaulted by a high-pitched, shrieking sound when she was getting ready for bed. A great, magenta burst of light was seen just outside her window.

Tarrant suspected it might be a magic storm the moment it began to grow dark as he was taking lunch with Alice and their friends. He was even more sure of it when it began to rain just as he and Alice made it home. So it was certainly no surprise to him when a screech of thunder was heard just as he was preparing for bed. He sighed, really these magic storms were _so_ annoying!

He decided that perhaps some tea would be in order since obviously he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He winced as the shrieking intensified, and grumbled, pulling his hat over his abused ears. It almost wasn't worth not having to work the next day. Oh well at least he'd have fun with Alice tomorrow…

He briefly wondered if the storm had woken her, but no, surely she wouldn't still be in her room were that the case. Suddenly a burst of teal colored light flashed against the wide bay windows in the living room, followed by an almost, painful intensifying of the racket outside. With a loud bang, Alice flung her bedroom door open, and ran to him like a deer being chased by wolves.

Well, maybe magic storms weren't _all_ bad he mused. Still he hated to see his Alice like this, why she was shaking like a leaf! Wait… _his_ Alice? Oh dear, this _would_ rather complicate things, would it not?

He shook his head to clear this thought. This was most defiantly_ not_ the time to be distracted by madness.

He gently picked Alice up and carried her to the sofa, she was shaking and clinging to him as though her life depended on it. Poor dear, he should have told her about these storms. No wonder she was so frightened! The noise outside started to die down enough that she loosened her death grip on him.

Ever so slightly allowing him to tilt her chin up so he could speak to her.

"Alice, are you quite alright?," he whispered, concern shining in his bright green eyes. She nodded, saying to him,

"Hatter, what is this going on outside? I mean obviously it's a storm of some kind, but…" he pressed his index finger to her soft lips to hush her.

"It seems you've picked up my bad habit of rambling…" he chuckled. "But yes, it is a storm, to be precise, a magic storm."

She started to speak again, but he shushed her before she could say anything.

"Naughty girl, let me finish speaking. As I was saying, it's a magic storm, which only happens about every 15 years or so. No one ever gets any sleep during them, _ever_."

He could tell she was just bursting to ask a question, he giggled inwardly. He did so love to tease her this way, though he could never do it for long.

"Go ahead and ask your questions, I would hate to have you explode all over the living room.," he told her teasingly, this caused her to giggle before asking,

"Why doesn't anyone get any sleep during these storms?"

As if in answer the shrieking of the wild magic outside intensified to an almost earsplitting level, causing them both to cover their ears. It only lasted a moment and then died down again.

"_That's_ why" he said pointing out the window.

"Tarrant, how long will this last?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and replied "At least till sunrise"

Alice groaned.

"My feelings exactly, love" he said quietly. As she gave a great yawn, it occurred to him that she was far more beautiful than any women he'd ever known. Sitting there in his arms, the occasional bursts of light coloring her lovely face every few moments. He couldn't stand it, not for one more moment. He had finally figured out how he felt about her. She was far too lovely curled up against him. He had to kiss her, so he did.

Alice was surprised at first, but this was what she had been waiting for…

_'It's about bloody time you idiot,'_ she thought as she kissed him back. Of course, just as they were getting more into it, the shrieking of the storm outside reached a new and defiantly earsplitting height. They jumped apart as if burned and covered their ears. Alice giggled as the Hatter cursed under his breath in Outlandish,

"Bloody, slurvish storm!"


End file.
